Safety on the Internet
Safety on the Internet
| Author: Sara Jamison |
| Published on: May 1, 1999 |
Quick--name off some of your "Internet friends." OK, question: are they really who they say they are?
So you think Jane82 is a 16 year old girl from Hawaii, you could be wrong. For all you know, "she" could be a 45 year old "he" on the Internet at the local library, a young guy fresh out of jail with a prison record like you wouldn't believe, or a wanna-be stalker. You just don't know.
That's the negative side of the Internet--you can hide your identity from others. Everything from your name, age, and past are all hidden, and can be changed with the click of a button. And for us teens, that could be a change for the worst.
This article is meant to keep you safe on, and off, the Internet. There have been many cases of teens meeting "friends" from the Internet off-line, perhaps at a restaurant or another hangout. Instead of coming back home, they disappear, never to be seen again. I would like to keep that from happening again, so I'm here to touch bases on ways of keeping yourself safe when using the Internet.
Tip #1: Never give away your full name.
Try this: type in your last name and your state into an on-line telephone database. Go ahead, try it out at http://www.four11.com and see what your results are. Are you listed?
This is how cyberstalkers find your information. They a given one or two little information tidbits from you and you're nailed. It's not difficult to locate people with the technology that we now all have access to. So, at all costs, keep any personal information to yourself--and don't share it with others on the Internet
Tip #2: Avoid chatrooms at all costs.
Chatrooms seem to be the best place to meet people with similar interests--but are they really who they say they are? Let's say you're chatting with Girly123 in a chatroom. Girly123 asks you questions such as "Where do you live?" or "How old are you?" or other questions that may seem insignificant. But cyberstalkers know exactly how to lure a person into their trap. Girly123 may also ask for your phone number so she can give you a call and you can talk off-line. DON'T DO IT! That is exactly how trouble starts. You're better off avoiding chatrooms altogether.
Tip #3: Never meet people offline.
If you agree to meet off-line, you're asking for trouble. This is how some kidnappings occur--a teenager meets a friend on-line, they become good chums, and agree to meet at a Dairy Queen, perhaps. But the thing is, some never come back home.
Not to say that "on-line friends" are the only kidnappers. In fact, in one of the articles I read that were related to this topic, they led people to a site called SmartDate at http://www.smartdate.com. At this site, you log in the information of where you are going, who you're going with, and when you should be expected back from your date. That way, if anything happens, police and family will know more information about the person you were with and where you were going, which can be vital information in the event something happens.
I'm not saying that breaking these rules will cause you to be kidnapped or killed, I'm just pointing out that if you follow these, you shouldn't have a problem. But the more you break them, to more easier you will be targeted, and there's always that chance of something happening. So take the proper precautions--trust your instincts.
For more information on this topic, check out the following sites for more precautions that you should take when logged on to the Internet.
Teen Safety on the Information Highway
http://www.suite101.com
